Social networking technologies have many different uses both corporate, personal and recreational. Social networking is useful for work, hobbies, health, games, and purely social motives. They serve both personal and business purposes. People are relying on media such as Facebook, Twitter, and other forums. These networks engage people in a way that was never possible before this technology. They bring the world together in a simple and easy way. Most social networking is free and therefore is good for both large and small businesses.
Small businesses really benefits from social networking. By using social networking online, there are very few overhead or advertising costs, outside of the cost of a website. Some businesses even use social networks for low cost banner ads because this can be highly effective on websites that attract many visitors and that can allow for good exposure for the company. In addition, social networking websites allow management to speak and interact with customers like they were never able to before. They can ask questions and answer questions. Small businesses can personally interact and connect with their customers. It is very cost effective to use advertisements on social media forums rather than paying for television ads. Social networks are also really good for online meeting places for people to discuss areas of their business and allows for growth.
Social networking technology can also be used for many personal purposes. They connect family and friends. They allow for idea sharing and creating conversation. They are also great as a way to entertain oneself and pass the time! In addition, educational materials can be used via these technologies. But on the other hand, there are also negative aspects of social networks and there is a "dark side". Social networking prevents face to face communication and many people waste time on pointless activity. People say that the overuse of these technologies is hurting children's brains and development and this can cause problems later in life. It is also very easy for people to spread false information. Jeffrey Young discusses the detrimental effects that social networking has on college students in his article They're Back, and They're Bad: Campus-Gossip Web Sites. He explains that because of technology advances students now have more ways than ever to attack classmates online and harass them anonymously. Students can leave mean messages about one another and go even further by putting up embarrassing pictures and videos. This is where bullying gets taken to a whole new level that can really be harmful to people, especially easy targets. It allows people to bully without being caught and there is more opportunity than doing it face-to-face. This can jeopardize a student's future for their career as well as personal life (Jeffrey Young). This is a clear example of the "dark side" of social media and how it can really negatively impact people in a way that may not be worth the benefits for society.
According to Stephen Dubner in his blog Is MySpace Good for Society, he analyzes whether social networking has a more positive or negative impact on society. He obtained different individual's points of view regarding this question. Some writers find that social networking has benefited society by bringing people together by connecting ideas and conversation. Social networking has the ability to shape human behavior in a way that can really benefit society as a whole. Another writer explains how social medial can offer ways for people to communicate, share ideas, and socialize. Judith Donath, an associate professor at the M.I.T. media lab, explains both the good and bad as well as the ugly of social media. The positive aspects include making it easy to keep up with people and provide an avenue for socializing as well as planning for face-to-face interactions. On the other hand, social networking technology also minimizes what it means to be a friend and the traditional view of friendship as changed dramatically. It is harder to trust people because of these technologies. The "ugly" can be really bad especially for teenagers. Those who are malicious and have bad intentions can use social networking for evil and bullying. This can cause negative impacts on people especially at such a critical age in development, which can in turn cause mental disorders or mental health problems (Stephen Dubner, Freakonomics).
I think that in the future we will be way more advanced and in a completely different place than we are in right now. Just think about how much society has progressed in just the past ten years with much of this technology. I think it is only going to continue to grow and expand. Who knows, in twenty years everything could look completely different. There may not be a need for teachers anymore as kids may be able to learn completely online. As little as people communicate now in person that may diminish even more as social networking expands further until that is the main mode of communication. There is so much that can happen.We may have self-transporting modes of travel, which if that is where technology is headed, then social media technology will definitely be evolving in a huge way. I don't know if things like Facebook will really be around in the future because I think we will have a more sophisticated form of technology and this will be outdated.
References:
Dubner, By Stephen J. "Is MySpace Good for Society? A Freakonomics Quorum - Freakonomics." Freakonomics. N.p., 15 Feb. 2008. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.
http://freakonomics.com/2008/02/15/is-myspace-good-for-society-a-freakonomics-quorum/
Young, By Jeffrey R. "They're Back, and They're Bad: Campus Gossip Web Sites." The Chronicle of
Higher Education. N.p., 31 Aug. 2009. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.
http://www.chronicle.com/article/theyre-backtheyre-bad-/48220
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